


A matter of choice

by Sergia



Category: British Actor RPF, Doctor Who RPF
Genre: Multi, Romantic Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-27
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-01-06 09:09:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1105017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sergia/pseuds/Sergia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Okay,” she starts in response to Steven’s pointed look, “yes. Matt has been a bit – let’s call it grumpy, hmm? What does that have to do with me and –“</p><p>“Oh for the love of! Alex, you cannot be that blind!”</p><p>Peering down at her co-stars again, she works on putting two and two together. And comes up with five, certainly. Heat rises on her cheeks as she gapes at her boss. “You’re not seriously suggesting… Are you?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A matter of choice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ChiefDoctor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiefDoctor/gifts), [Mr_Song_Mrs_Doctor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mr_Song_Mrs_Doctor/gifts), [nbrock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nbrock/gifts), [lovelywordshenanigans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelywordshenanigans/gifts).



> Here there be lengthy author's notes...
> 
> This fic is the result of four prompts, each taking with a certain amount of creative liberties especially with #2 and #4 (sorry for that). Summarized:  
> 1) There seems to be a conscious effort on both Matt and Moffats parts to either not bring up Alex, downplay her role, or just ignore her significance. What if Alex had done something to offend them or makes them mad? What might she have done and why?  
> 2) Alex has a boyfriend. What if she has to choose between Matt (a leap of faith) or her boyfriend (the safe choice)  
> 3) We've seen the rage of Matt Smith's Doctor, but I would love to see Matt in a fit of anger. How would he handle it? Would he throw things or shout profanities? Afterward would he apology or be completely justified in his feelings?  
> 4) Matt is in complete denial of his feelings for Alex until she begins working with the 12th Doctor
> 
> Because 'I have been...' is taking up quite bit of time, I can't promise when this will be updated. I'm going to post as written, something I usually try to avoid but I didn't want to keep the prompts too long. Should anyone be willing to beta, please drop a note. Now, enough rambling, on with the story!

Upon arriving at the BBC Cardiff Studios Alex Kingston is still under the impression Steven Moffat called her in early to discuss plotlines and a possible reappearance by her character. She nods politely at the members of the crew she passes on her way in, recognizing only a few faces.

When she is called into the head writer’s office and comes face to face with the Scot – or well, the space he occupies when he’s on set, her good mood vanishes. He does not look happy. At all.

Keeping her expression carefully neutral, she runs her fingers nervously through her curls, mind raking over her recent interviews. She hasn’t given any spoilers away, has she? “Steven.” She’s pretty sure she hasn’t. The only other thing that comes to mind is her on-screen husband’s unusual mood.

“Alex. Have a seat.”

It takes some effort not to squirm under her boss’ piercing gaze. Steven is not a physically imposing man, but what he lacks in height, he easily makes up for in presence. Still, Alex is no stranger to on set tension, nor is she easily intimidated. “What can I do for you?”

His jaw tightens for a moment. “You can tell me what the hell you were thinking.”

She blinks in surprise. Okay, so this is not about Matt then. “I’m not sure?”

“You were here, weren’t you? I certainly didn’t think you needed to be, but you were here on this set when I held the speech, weren’t you?” His voice rises steadily with each word, Scottish brogue gradually thickening and damn if she doesn’t have to consciously keep herself from scooting back. “You were here when I told everyone not to screw around with co-stars, yeah?”

Oh. Well. This makes sense then. Fighting a blush, she calmly meets his eyes. “He’s no--.”

Steven nearly growls. “You were there, were you not?”

Pursing her mouth, Alex bites back a rude reply. “Yes.”

“So let me ask you again, Ms. Kingston. What the hell were you thinking?”

Not quite appreciating being talked to in this manner about a private subject, Alex squares her shoulders and takes a slow breath. He’s just looking out for his show, she gets that. “I was thinking he’s a good man and an adult, capable of making his own choices. How do you even know about this?”

His mouth twists. “I know everything.”

Despite the tense atmosphere, Alex smirks a little. “Of course you do. Look, neither of us meant to cause any trouble.” Ignoring her boss’ grumbling, she continues, “With all due respect Steven, we’re both adults. What we do is really none of your busi—“

“Yes it is! It is when it affects _my_ show!”

“How does it affect _Who_? Because if you’re worried about the press…”

Sagging a little, Steven finally seems to calm down. Not a minute too soon, because Alex can feel irritation bubbling inside her chest. The underlying accusation of unprofessionalism doesn’t sit at all well with her. “I’m not worried about the press.”

“Then why? He doesn’t work for you—“

Again he cuts her off. “Not the point.”

“Then what is?”

“Your husband of course!”

What? It occurs to her that this whole thing may just be one of Team Tardis’ pranks. No mean feat considering only half of its members are even on the same continent as she is. But she’s known Steven for a while now. He’s an excellent writer, but he’s not that good of an actor and Arthur wouldn’t do this to her, would he? No, if he valued his continued existence as an anatomically correct male, he wouldn’t. “Steven, I don’t understand?”

“You don’t—“ he cuts himself off, eyes narrowed, and studies her for a long moment. Eventually his shoulders sag. “Of course, you don’t.” The resignation in his words catches her by surprise. What did she miss?

Throwing her a look she’s sure she’s meant to decipher, he heaves himself out of his chair and stalks over to the small window looking out over the main set. With a flourish of his hands he gestures down to where Matt and Jenna are talking.

Alex admires Jenna’s relaxed expression and body language for a second. Matt is all but towering over his co-star, the angles of his face sharper than usual and she can tell even from up here that he’s not being very nice.

“Okay,” she starts in response to Steven’s pointed look, “yes. Matt has been a bit – let’s call it grumpy, hmm? What does that have to do with me and –“

“Oh for the love of! Alex, you cannot be that blind!”

Peering down at her co-stars again, she works on putting two and two together. And comes up with five, certainly. Heat rises on her cheeks as she gapes at her boss. “You’re not seriously suggesting… Are you?”

“And the penny drops,” the Scot comments dryly. “Look, you’re right. You’re all adults and what you get up to in your free time is none of my business – honest, I don’t even want to know. In fact, I cannot stress how badly I do not want to know. And not only do I not want to know, I most definitely do not want to get involved. But I don’t get a choice here. He managed fine for four years, but now he comes on set only half-prepared, he snaps at the crew and messes up more takes than any of us have time for. I don’t care what you have to do, but get his head in the game, or I’ll have to take you off the promo-schedule.”

That Alex doesn’t care much for being on the promo-schedule in the first place does little to soften the message. What the hell? How did this happen? Since when does Matt Smith of all people fancy her and how had she missed that? God, did Arthur know? She glances from Steven to Matt and back. “You’re wrong. Matt does not…” she flounders a bit, “ _fancy_ me.”

“Alex, the man worships the ground you walk on. Has for ever since you set foot on set. There’s an entire science team trying to figure out how to power the set on your flirting.”

Okay. Yes. She had noticed the flirting. Kind of hard not to, flirting is second nature to both of them, but he’s never given any indication their exchanges were something else. Something more, anything at all serious. Thinking back to her last time on set, filming the Ponds’ send-off, all that comes to mind are a few odd looks, a kiss that lasted just a beat too long. He had tried harder than before to include her in his off set antics. She’d chalked it up to Karen and Arthur’s impending departure.

“Talk him off the ledge, Alex.” At her questioning gaze, Steven heaves another great sigh. “He’s talking about quitting.”

She doesn’t even try to hide her shock and still feels a bit dazed when she promises Steven to sort things out.

Matt does an impressive job of avoiding her for the rest of the day and she finds herself sitting next to Jenna during a short rehydration break. They’re in the middle of a discussion about why the Doctor wouldn’t have mentioned having a wife to Clara, but Alex is having a hard time keeping her mind on track.

Those five minutes in Steven’s office have put the last five years on the Doctor Who set in a different light. Hell, they’ve put that week in New York in a different light and she’s not sure she likes any of it.

She’s having such trouble wrapping her mind around the situation that she’s perfectly content to postpone her confrontation with Matt until tomorrow. Besides, there’s someone else she needs to talk to first.

**Author's Note:**

> Story title from William Jennings Bryan  
> "Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not know these people or their lives. I'm just exercising a slight obsession, so never mind me...


End file.
